Personal Narrative: Growing Up As An Army

Growing up the daughter of an Army Basic Training failure was an embarrassment for quite some time. My father went to Army Basic Training straight out of high school, and came back shortly after leaving. He was discharged for injuries of his knees; he was weak. One would not assume a child of someone who failed Basic Training would be eager to go, however I knew it was my time as soon as I received a call from a recruiter asking me to come in. It was my chance to show my dad the person I am without him, as well as fight for my country. I conquered Basic Training the summer in between the summer of my junior and senior year at the age of seventeen. There are four easy steps to Basic Training: two flights, reception, training,

It’s the day I have to move to the army's campsite. I grab my bag and swing them on my shoulder, it weighs a ton it feels like my shoulder’s gonna break. Sophie was peeking through my room door, as I was about to stand up she ran to the living room curled up into a ball making loud thud and sobbing noises. Outside of the house, I hug my mom as tight as I could, I don’t want to move any single inch of my bone. I want to stay like this forever. I felt a drop of water behind my shoulder and I know that it was her tears. I don’t want to leave them but I have to. It was time to let go but she didn’t want to, I grab her arm and slightly push them back.

Growing up as the son of a career Naval Officer, I have experienced a background that varies greatly from that of an applicant who has grown up in a strictly civilian family. The constant relocation, the exciting places I have lived, and the countless great, unique people I have met, have all contributed that that he unique childhood I have enjoyed. While at times my identity as a military child has made life challenging and difficult, I strongly believe that it has made me a stronger, more adaptable person because I have been molded by past experiences and I don't think that my application would be complete without this information.

The most challenging aspect I have found about being a leader and Soldier in the Army is finding balance between Army life and life outside of my career. As a father and a husband, I have to consciously make time for the other factors in my life. Since I have spent an average of my adult life more at work than at home, whether deployed or in garrison, I have formed lasting bonds with peers, superiors and subordinates alike. It is a delicate balance to ensure that I am creating similar bonds with my 10 and 16 year old boys, who live with their mother, while continuously strengthening my bond with my wife. Although this balance remains a challenge, I have found that by anticipating various reactions to my words and actions that I am choosing to say what I actually mean. That simple process has positive impacts on my continuing effort to build resiliency. I also make it a point to “hunt the good stuff” and focus on the positive aspects of my life rather than the things that cause me to stress. I find that positive communication and exercise are also good releases for me and helps me to feel less overwhelmed.

I went pre-med before getting deployed and as an intern I've seen a lot of horrible things. But when it's your friend... Someone you serve with... It stays with you forever.

“Wake up all of you and come to the living room”, my father called out loudly as he entered home Friday nights. He always wanted everything done as he says. At age of eight, my father had started making me set goals, but it was obvious since that is what all other soldiers do. Attaining the set grades in class meant rewards, though the reverse called upon punishments. All he did was finding a way to make me better, though he was actually making me perfect for his expectations. As I shifted from my school to a new English school where everything seemed different, he could not tell me to get a sixty plus this time, which was not even that easy in my first French school. This place made me grow into a real army girl through a real

Growing up as a military child and living all over the world, I was afforded many

I originally wanted to join the military to defend and protect our country, but realized that it wasn't going to bring the satisfaction I desired. I wanted to fight and defend closer to home, the one that involves Traffic incidents, Drug and DUI enforcement. One Friday afternoon, after getting out of High School, there was a video game tournament being held at a Movie Gallery just a few miles away from where I live. I attended the event and met a cool young man who was 18 years old at the time. I believe I was 16. I talked with him about games and the future tournaments that would be great for the community. It was the beginning of a wonderful new friendship. However, the next day at around 3:00p.m., my dad came into my room and told me he

On the early morning of April 19th, my husband left to gather with the militia. I being worried could not go back to sleep and awaited by the window from time to time. The children were still asleep and out of the corner of my eyes, I see at least a couple hundred of lobsterbacks. I was frightened and crouched making sure I wasn’t seen. Oh how my heart beated, and I am ashamed to remind myself that the militia fired. Perhaps out of fear, but they fired. Immediately there was movement until my eyes could see, running, shooting, bloodshed. As soon as I saw the Regulars marching, and the house being so near to all the commotion I ran to the children and hoped they wouldn’t burn the house down. I was prepared, nervous for the life of my husband

The United States Army defines leadership as the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization (ADP 6-22). The Non Commissioned Officer Corps has a rich history in leading troops. Their Slogan is “Back Bone of The Army”. I took this to heart when I was sworn into the NCO corps. The Warrant Officer Cohort is known for their technical and tactical ability and being subject matter experts (SME) in their field. This post will discuss the differences between the NCO and the Warrant Officer.

I am getting ready to go to the United States Drill Sergeant School, May 2011. All I have heard at this point was how hard the school is from everyone in my Battalion. Christopher Peeples had just graduated and returned from the school, so I made sure to discuss the school with him. He informed me that as long as I learned the first three modules, I would be fine. Easy for him to say, I have always been horrible at memorizing anything since I was younger. So I studied the first three modules; the position of attention, the hand salute, and the rest position for the halt.

This is one story I’ve never told before. Not to anyone… It all started a few days, we made contact with the enemy. It was quite scary when this all began, it was a beautiful, warm, sunny day. The birds were chirping, the wind was whistling to the sound of Yankee Doodle, and we were marching to the tune. It was all great until we had to keep quiet. The commander yelled at us and told us to get down and shut up. It took us a few minutes before we realized we were being ambushed. George, the guy laying next to me, Stood up and started to shoot and holler. He was making so much noise it was drawing attention to him and myself. I saw some troops on the other side start running towards me with their guns out. So I did what any other person would

Growing up as an Army brat had some disadvantages. Constantly moving, going to different schools, living in places that did not even speak English well, and most importantly not a stable support system. I did not really live with my parents until I was ten years old and that was short lived it only lasted four years. My parents were always getting station to a different military base or felt like we needed a bigger house. I was basically raised by my grandmothers, which was nice sometimes but I really wanted to be with my parents. A typical day when I was little went like this: wake up at my grandma’s house or at the local military base daycare, go to school, pick up from school by the daycare or my grandma, have an afternoon filled with all sorts of activities so I would not notice my parents were not there, go to my parent’s house, do my homework and eat dinner with them, pack my suitcase for that night, and return back to my grandma’s house. I moved so much that this college is my eleventh school I attended, which is sad since I never went to pre-kindergarten. Attending school was very much harder for me. I was bullied for being plus size and not

When I joined the military I never thought I would have to repel from a 50 foot structure. The day we went to warrior tower was one of the must terrifying days of my life. I didn’t think I was going to be able to repel from the top because of my fear of heights. Many factors from that day have changed who I am like mini warrior tower, repelling down the tower, getting to the ground and what I learned from this

We as people make decisions every day that will affect the rest of our lives. Most people when deciding whether to do something they picture it to be amazing, fun, and exciting or boing and horrible. These thoughts may be true once you experience it but it can also be the opposite of what you were thinking. My decision was to join the military as the marine. I will be doing a comparison/contract on my perceptions on going to Bootcamp, ITB (infantry training battalion), and The Fleet.